Before you go
Poland's national parks: the 23 parks and the ones worth travelling for
Primeval forest with wild bison, shifting sand dunes on the Baltic, glacial lakes below granite peaks and marshes so vast that elk outnumber people – Poland's national parks are the country's best-kept secret, and many are an easy day trip from a big city.
Most visitors come to Poland for its cities, and most leave without seeing the thing Poles themselves are proudest of: the landscape. In a single country you can walk through the last fragment of the primeval forest that once covered lowland Europe, climb a dune that moves several metres a year, paddle through a gorge on the Slovak border and watch elk wade through a marsh at dawn. Twenty-three places are protected as national parks, and together they cover only around one per cent of the country – which makes them all the more special.
The good news for a first-time visitor is that several of the best are close to the cities you are already visiting. Ojców is half an hour from Kraków, Kampinos begins at the edge of Warsaw, and Wielkopolski is a short train ride from Poznań.
The best national parks for visitors
| Park | Region | Why go | From the nearest city |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tatra (Tatrzański) | Mountains on the Slovak border | Granite peaks, Morskie Oko lake, the best hiking in Poland | About 2 hours from Kraków to Zakopane |
| Białowieża (Białowieski) | North-east, on the Belarus border | Europe's last primeval lowland forest and wild European bison; UNESCO World Heritage Site | About 4 hours from Warsaw |
| Słowiński | Baltic coast | Huge moving sand dunes between lake and sea | About 2 hours from Gdańsk to Łeba |
| Ojców (Ojcowski) | Just north of Kraków | Limestone valley, caves, castles – Poland's smallest national park | About 30–40 minutes from Kraków |
| Pieniny (Pieniński) | Slovak border | Rafting down the Dunajec gorge on wooden rafts | About 2.5 hours from Kraków |
| Karkonosze (Karkonoski) | Czech border | Śnieżka, the highest peak in the Sudetes, and glacial cirques | About 2.5 hours from Wrocław |
| Table Mountains (Gór Stołowych) | Czech border | Sandstone labyrinths of Błędne Skały and Szczeliniec | About 2 hours from Wrocław |
| Bieszczady (Bieszczadzki) | South-east corner | Wild mountain meadows (połoniny), bears and wolves, no crowds | About 5 hours from Kraków |
| Biebrza (Biebrzański) | North-east | Poland's largest national park: marshes, elk and some of Europe's best birdwatching | About 3 hours from Warsaw |
| Kampinos (Kampinoski) | Next to Warsaw | Forest and dunes on the city's doorstep | 30 minutes from central Warsaw |
| Wolin (Woliński) | Baltic island | Sea cliffs, beech forest and a bison enclosure near Międzyzdroje | About 1.5 hours from Szczecin |
Day trips from the big cities
From Kraków
- Ojców National Park – a gentle half-day: walk the valley of the Prądnik, see the Hercules' Club rock pillar and the Renaissance castle of Pieskowa Skała, and visit the Łokietek Cave. Buses run from Kraków; a car is easier.
- Tatra National Park – a long but rewarding day: Morskie Oko, the most famous mountain lake in Poland, is a walk of about two hours each way on a paved road from the car park at Palenica Białczańska. In summer the car park must be booked online in advance.
- Pieniny – the classic Dunajec rafting trip, usually combined with a visit to the castle at Niedzica.
From Warsaw
- Kampinos National Park starts at the city's north-western edge: sand dunes, pine forest and marked cycling trails.
- Białowieża and Biebrza are too far for a comfortable day trip – plan at least one night.
From Gdańsk
- Słowiński National Park – take the train or drive to Łeba, then walk or cycle to the Łącka Dune, a sand mountain between the sea and Lake Łebsko.
From Wrocław
- Table Mountains and Karkonosze – both work as long day trips, better as a weekend.
Białowieża: the one that is truly unique
If you see only one national park in Poland, make it Białowieża. The forest has never been cleared or planted: some oaks are several hundred years old, fallen trees are left to rot, and the result looks like nothing else in Europe. It is also home to the largest free-living population of European bison, the continent's heaviest land animal.
- The strict reserve – the oldest, wildest part – can only be visited with a licensed guide; book in Białowieża village.
- The bison show reserve lets you see bison and other forest animals up close if you do not meet them in the wild.
- Białowieża lies on the Belarus border, where a restricted buffer zone has been in place in recent years. Check the current rules before you go – see Is Poland safe?
When to go
- May–June: fresh green, birdsong and wildflowers; the best time for Biebrza's birds.
- July–August: peak season – crowded in the Tatras and on the Baltic, but long days and warm weather.
- September–October: golden autumn, the best hiking weather in the mountains and far fewer people.
- Winter: snow in the Tatras, Karkonosze and Bieszczady; high trails are for experienced, equipped hikers only.
More in our month-by-month guide to the weather in Poland.
Fees, rules and safety
- Entry fees: some parks – including the Tatras and Karkonosze – charge a small fee for certain trails. Buy tickets online or at the booth at the trailhead.
- Stay on marked trails. Leaving them is prohibited in most parks and can earn you a fine.
- No drones without permission, and no camping outside designated sites.
- Dogs are banned on most trails in the Tatras and restricted in several other parks.
- Wildlife: brown bears live in the Tatras and Bieszczady. Keep food packed away and do not approach animals.
- Mountain emergencies: call 985 or +48 601 100 300 (TOPR in the Tatras and GOPR in other mountains), or 112.
Mountain rescue itself is free in Poland, but hospital treatment and getting home are not – make sure your travel insurance covers hiking, and winter sports if you go in the snow.
Getting there
Trains and buses reach Zakopane, Łeba, Karpacz and Białowieża, but many trailheads are easiest by car – especially if you want to see more than one park. Car hire in Poland is generally cheaper than in Western Europe – see our guide to car hire in Kraków; local rental companies are often cheaper than the big international brands.
All 23 national parks in Poland
- 1Babia Góra
- 2Białowieża
- 3Biebrza
- 4Bieszczady
- 5Bory Tucholskie
- 6Drawa
- 7Gorce
- 8Table Mountains
- 9Kampinos
- 10Karkonosze
- 11Magura
- 12Narew
- 13Ojców
- 14Pieniny
- 15Polesie
- 16Roztocze
- 17Słowiński
- 18Świętokrzyski
- 19Tatra
- 20Warta Mouth
- 21Wielkopolski
- 22Wigry
- 23Wolin
| # | Park | Region | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Babia Góra (Babiogórski) | Beskids | The highest peak outside the Tatras |
| 2 | Białowieża (Białowieski) | Podlasie | Primeval forest, European bison |
| 3 | Biebrza (Biebrzański) | Podlasie | Marshes, elk, birds; the largest park |
| 4 | Bieszczady (Bieszczadzki) | Bieszczady Mountains | Mountain meadows, wildlife |
| 5 | Bory Tucholskie | Pomerania | Pine forests and lakes |
| 6 | Drawa (Drawieński) | West Pomerania | River canoeing, forests |
| 7 | Gorce (Gorczański) | Beskids | Mountain meadows and views of the Tatras |
| 8 | Table Mountains (Gór Stołowych) | Sudetes | Sandstone rock labyrinths |
| 9 | Kampinos (Kampinoski) | Next to Warsaw | Forest and inland dunes |
| 10 | Karkonosze (Karkonoski) | Sudetes | Śnieżka, glacial lakes |
| 11 | Magura (Magurski) | Low Beskids | Quiet forests, wooden churches nearby |
| 12 | Narew (Narwiański) | Podlasie | A braided river and its wetlands |
| 13 | Ojców (Ojcowski) | Near Kraków | Limestone valley, caves, castles; the smallest park |
| 14 | Pieniny (Pieniński) | Slovak border | Dunajec gorge rafting |
| 15 | Polesie (Poleski) | Lublin region | Peat bogs and wetlands |
| 16 | Roztocze (Roztoczański) | Lublin region | Beech forests, Polish konik horses |
| 17 | Słowiński | Baltic coast | Moving dunes |
| 18 | Świętokrzyski | Holy Cross Mountains | Rock rubble fields, Łysica peak |
| 19 | Tatra (Tatrzański) | Tatra Mountains | Alpine peaks, Morskie Oko |
| 20 | Warta Mouth (Ujście Warty) | Lubusz region | Floodplain and birdlife |
| 21 | Wielkopolski | Near Poznań | Lakes and forest, easy walking |
| 22 | Wigry (Wigierski) | Suwałki region | Wigry lake, canoeing |
| 23 | Wolin (Woliński) | Baltic island | Sea cliffs, bison enclosure |
In 2025 the Polish parliament voted to create a 24th park, protecting the Lower Oder Valley near Szczecin, but the law was vetoed by the President; check the latest news if you are planning a trip there.
Sources
- General Directorate for Environmental Protection and the national park authorities: list and descriptions of Poland's 23 national parks
- UNESCO World Heritage List: Białowieża Forest; UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: Słowiński, Kampinos and other biosphere reserves
- Notes from Poland: President vetoes government plan to create Poland's first new national park in 24 years (November 2025)
- Tatra National Park: Morskie Oko car park reservations; TOPR mountain rescue numbers
Prices and opening hours change – we re-check them regularly. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.